Pairings

Costco sells quart jars full
of super mammoth olives--
that's what the label says--
super mammoth, double stuffed
with one whole garlic clove
and a piece of jalapeno pepper
where the pit was.

Since I torqued my knee
in Zumba, hopping on one foot,
I've had to work out
in a chlorinated pool.

Here's the thing--
I tuck three olives in my gym bag,
after class I take them to my car
and sit there, mellowed out
feeling good, ready for revival.

Olive one: I delay, observe,
anticipate, put it in my mouth,
hold it for a moment 
to get it's oliveness, then
bite down--wow--taste explosion.

Olive two: I appreciate garlic crunch,
pepper heat, rubbery olive flesh
that squeaks against my teeth--yum.

Olive three: I contemplate the name,
how well it suits the shape--olive, olive,
oval, oval, silver leaves, blue-sky sun.

The combination  causes
a mind altering experience:
chlorine fumes and olives.

I wonder what others
might there be, a long hike
in eucalyptus groves after rain
followed by celery sticks
stuffed with peanut butter
(the crunchy kind) perhaps?


I discovered Spellchick's thread re: recipes and decided to dig up a poem from last year's NaPoWrMo challenge. Food ios always a good subject :)